Legend or moron: either way, the parents are to blame for Corey Worthington’s destructive behaviour.
It was the scandalous party that had the world watching. He has been compared to the likes of rehab regular Lindsay Lohan and party frequenter Paris Hilton, causing $20000 worth of damage along with 500 other adolescents.
Corey Worthington’s parents, Steve and Jo Delaney, are the only ones to be blamed for his clearly disrupted upbringing, resulting in his extreme behaviour.
They are at first glance, the archetypal ‘devastated and shocked’ parents, ashamed of their son’s actions and deeply apologetic to their neighbours. They exude sympathy and regret. How could their son have done such a thing?
A recent letter by his parents however, compares Corey’s actions to that of a normal ‘young man growing up’. This throws light on his parents’ negligent decision to allow the high-school drop-out to stay home to ‘continue with his part-time job,’ rather than coming on a family holiday.
What capable parents would honestly believe that their 16 year old son could be trusted to responsibly stay at home while they were interstate? I certainly wouldn’t. ‘It is insane for any parent to leave their 16-year-old alone at home,’ confirms Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.
Far from thinking that my son, would rampage up and down quiet suburbia with 499 of his mates, I also wouldn’t be as naive to expect that he would stay home and study.
The idea that generation Y has somehow become rebellious and disrespectful of its own accord is preposterous.
The blame should be aimed at the teachers, the guiders, the leaders. Leading psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg confirms that ‘Mums and dads need to get their acts together… they like to pass the blame (onto their children). They need to parent.’
While all teens develop their own personas, and need to take responsibility for their actions, a deeper review of the reasons behind their foolish behaviour is needed.
The role of the parents in the average family home is becoming less and less significant with each passing generation. The way that adolescents, whose brains are not fully ‘wired’, respond to this newfound abandonment is rebellion.
Some teens put away their childhood too soon, and take on the roles, often without the responsibilities, of an adult. Pack away the toys, bring out the cigarettes.
For Corey, growing up is having freedom without the consequences. Without the presence of parents, without a firm hand, he has lost all sense of direction, and logic is replaced with hot-headed thinking.
This disconnection with his family will only further increase his arrogance and sense of independence and self-importance.
His parents, who have obviously missed some crucial part of his upbringing, are now begging for his return, and for the forgiveness of the community. ‘(Parents) have to be aware that the impact that they have on their child is very significant and it doesn’t start with when they’re 16, it starts well before that, ‘says Inspector Steve Sonden.
Corey may have acted rashly and foolishly, but his parents were not there to prevent it. No one can expect them to have foreseen disaster, but as a parent, one needs to overcome the naivety of believing that your precious child will never go wrong.
It is not only Corey who needs to face the music. His parents too, need to step back and re-access the situation, and together, apologise for straying off the path.
